I strongly support Israel, and Israelis.  I always have. I don’t support the current leadership of CIJA, who have effectively become a communications/lobby arm of the Conservative Party of Canada – and who have thereby diminished the voice of Jewish community when (not if) there is a change in government.

I met Shimon Peres when I was in Israel, years ago. What a great man! What a legend! I can tell you he is also far more moderate, and far more strategic, than the erstwhile “leaders” found in organizations like CIJA. I have faith in him, and the difficult decisions he and others must make in the coming days.

Our aim is not to start a war and we are all hopeful that the operation doesn’t last a moment longer than necessary. #israelunderfire

— PresidentPeres (@PresidentPeres) November 16, 2012

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First Glen Murray was making them, now Kathleen Wynne.

Anyone else using them? I’m curious.

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We’ll be raising more funds for Pussy Riot’s defence fund – so show your support for free speech, political Ottawa!

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Live! Right here!

Oh, and here she is with some guy from Toronto this afternoon:

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Well-attended event last night at U. of T. – and Son Three was there to sell Fight The Right! (We sold out, too.)

Most interesting thing, from my perspective: that’s an A.Y. Jackson over my head.  I tried to pry it off the wall, but the U. of T. Liberals and Organizing For Progress told me they’d get in trouble.  So I left it behind.

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I have the Man Flu today, so I am in one foul mood. Stay away.

As such, this fits my mood perfectly. Spotted by Steve Ladurantaye. (Oh, and Steve: thanks for help on delivery. It came for about a week and then stopped. Now all they send is bills. This, too, puts me in a bad mood!)

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The sentiments are nice, but to Team Sandra, I say: keep working like you are way, way behind. Work like you’ve never worked on a campaign. Don’t leave anything to chance!

…Indeed, over the last century, all three major parties have generally fared badly in provincial elections when they were headed by leaders who hailed from the city of Toronto or were from their party’s left wing.

The only people to lead their party to victory and become premier while holding a Toronto riding were George Drew (Conservative-High Park) from 1943 to 1948 and Bob Rae (NDP-York South) from 1990 to 1995.

Combined, these facts are a big reason why Sandra Pupatello will likely win the Liberal leadership race to succeed Dalton McGuinty and become Ontario’s next premier.

Historically, the path to success for Liberal leadership contenders has been simple: Play up your outside-of-Toronto roots and appeal to the fiscal business-minded conservatives in the party.

It’s a strategy that McGuinty deployed masterfully in winning the 1996 leadership contest, where his final-ballot opponent was Gerard Kennedy, then a downtown Toronto MP with a background as a food bank organizer.

It’s a strategy that will surely propel Pupatello to victory…

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Impressive group.  Impressive candidate, too, but you knew that already.

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